Actor Profile: Daniella Covarrubias

Daniella Covarrubias (Ensemble/Customer/Mrs. Luce) is a junior at Baker College majoring in Mechanical Engineering, and is enjoying her return to the stage for her first VADA production. She has taken part onstage in Wiess Tabletop Theatre’s 2012 production of Hello Hamlet as well as Johnnycake Productions’ Anything Goes, Curtains, Two Gentlemen of Verona, and Crazy for You. She was also the Graphic Designer for Baker Shakespeare Theater’s Romeo and Juliet and the Rice Players’ Rabbit Hole.

What has been your favorite part of the rehearsal process?
Music Rehearsal! It’s really nice to be singing again, I’ve missed it.

What has been the biggest challenge in this process?
Transitioning from the rehearsal room to the stage. The rehearsal room was so much smaller than the stage, we didn’t know what to do with all that space!

How has your Little Shop experience differed from other theatre experiences (either at Rice or somewhere else)?
Having an adult production team has been very different than the college theatre I’ve been involved with, and though I had experienced this type of production leadership in high school theatre, the fact that the whole cast is college-aged made the atmosphere a completely new experience.

Tell me your favorite line from the show:
“It’s nice to meet me, the pleasure is yours”

If you somehow came to possess an alien man-eating plant, what would you name it?
Steve Carlsburg

 

Actor Profile: Rachel Buissereth

Rachel Buissereth (Chiffon) is a freshman at Hanszen College majoring in an Environmental Science and Theatre. In high school, Rachel performed as an actor and worked as a stage crew member and stage manager. Most recently, Rachel played Hippolyta in VADA’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She would like to thank the cast, crew, and directors for all their hard work on this production and hopes you enjoy the show!

What has been your favorite part of the rehearsal process?
My favorite part of rehearsal has been bonding with the other DooWop girls. Tasneem and Tristina are both extremely talented, beautiful, and fun women to be around. Everyday we come into rehearsal early to review choreography and music, and I’m excited to be working with them. They have both been a huge support over the course of this musical and I hope we will stay in touch in the future.

Do you think you will continue to participate in Rice theatre in the future?
I will definitely participate in Rice theatre over the course of the next four years. Even though being in a production requires a lot of work, time, and effort, there is a sense of completion and success that happens when a show is over. I love that moment and will forever keep doing theatre to feel that way.

If you somehow came to possess an alien man-eating plant, what would you name it?
Obviously the Rachel II! No, I’m kidding. Knowing me and my love of plants and scientific classification, I would probably attempt to name it something more serious like giganticus man-eat-us.

Anything else you’d like to say about your experience so far, or about the Rice Players/VADA in general…
I just want to thank Jack Beetle and George Brock for all their hard work on the production. I know they are putting in a lot of work and time into this show and I definitely appreciate their patience and overall enthusiasm throughout this process.

Actor Profile: Cassie Barrett

Cassandra Barrett (Audrey II/Puppeteer) is a junior at Jones College, majoring in Psychology, Political Science, and Religious Studies. During her time at Rice, she has not been able to be very involved with theatre, but she is happy to be back in this exciting world with her first VADA production. She would like to thank everyone involved in the show for such an amazing experience.

What has been your favorite part of the rehearsal process?
My favorite part of the rehearsal process has been watching the scenes come together. Being able to see where a scene begins, and then watch as it begins to work, makes seeing the finished product even more amazing.

How has your Little Shop experience differed from other theatre experiences?
My experience with Little Shop has been very different than any show because I’ve never done puppeteering before. I’m very glad to have had the opportunity to do this though. It’s really been an amazing experience!

Tell me your favorite line from the show:
My favorite line from the show is how Seymour “It got very dark…” The way Bryce says it just never gets old.

If you somehow came to possess an alien man-eating plant, what would you name it?
If I had an alien man-eating plant I would call it Fluffy.

Anything else you’d like to say about your experience so far, or about the Rice Players/VADA in general…
Being in Little Shop has been an absolute pleasure, and I’m excited for how it will turn out. I hope lots of people come out and enjoy the show! 🙂

“I am a spirit of no common rate.”

Actor Profile: Susannah Eig, Jones ’14

Character: Titania

What do you like most about your character? “Titania knows what she wants, and she doesn’t apologize for it.  While she might change her mind quite often and quickly, she does not feel the need to make up for her fickleness with weakness or submission.”

 

What has been the greatest challenge in your work on this production? “This show is my last at Rice.  Every time we reach a new milestone in the production process (e.g. first run through, tech, etc.), I know it is my last as an actor at Rice.  I am so thankful to be a part of this show, but it is very strange knowing that this is the end of a chapter in my life.  I find that sometimes my focus is split between playing Titania and knowing that this production is a “goodbye” for me.”

“The course of true love never did run smooth.”

Actor Profile: Ian Bott, Wiess ’14

Character: Lysander

What has been your favorite part of this process so far? “Being a part of an outdoor Shakespeare production. I grew up in London and love visiting the Globe Theater when I get the chance, so it is a big excitement to perform outside in an intimate audience setting. Being in the open air has required more of an adjustment vocally than I expected, especially when buses and helicopters whiz by.”

What do you like most about your character? “Lysander is such an advocate for true love. He cannot understand why anyone would want to break true lovers apart and he will go to any lengths to marry Hermia. As a natural idealist, I find it great to play a character with similar dispositions to myself.”

“Though she be but little, she is fierce.”

 Actor Profile: Yena Han, Duncan ’17

Character: Hermia

How has this experience differed from previous theatre experiences?  “Our director helps foster a sense of unity. With a show like Midsummer, which is separated into three distinct worlds (Lovers, Mechanicals, Fairies), it’d be so easy for the show to become disjointed and for a cast “hierarchy” to develop. But everyone in the cast treats each other equally, and the positive cast dynamic shines through in the performance. We take care of each other.”

How has your work on this show affected you?

“I feel incredibly blessed for this opportunity, and I have Midsummer to thank for helping me live with purpose during my first semester at Rice. Not only have I gained an understanding of my character, but a greater understanding of myself. Much gratitude goes out to those who have stuck with me through this process!”

“There we may rehearse most obscenely and courageously!”

Actor Profile: Carter Spires, Jones ’13

Character: Bottom

What do you like most about your character? 

“How utterly committed and self-confident he is. He’s such an utter buffoon, but he doesn’t know that. He’s completely secure in his own talent and importance.”

What has been your favorite part of this process so far? 

“Finding moments of unexpected humor. Midsummer is always funny and there are many well-known/obvious gags, but it’s nice to find bits that you maybe didn’t even realize could be funny until you tried them a certain way.”

“Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania” – II.i

Some scene work with Oberon, Titania, Puck, Bottom, and the fairies.

The cast warms up together in a “circle run”First Fairy (Ariana Morgan) deals with the mischievous Puck (Daniel Burns)Oberon (Michael Hollis) and Titania (Susannah Eig)Titania and Bottom (Carter Spires)Titania’s fairies: Amber Nadeau, Mei Tan, Nicole Moody and Michelle Lee.

Director Profile: Christina Keefe

Director Christina Keefe is Professor in the Practice and the Director of the Theatre Program at Rice University. At Rice, she has produced Noises Off, The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee, The Drunken City, Macbeth (which she also directed) and Tartuffe, among others. Most recently, Christina performed in Houston Grand Opera’s production of Showboat.  She has directed A Midsummer Night’s Dream, A Place Called Home and Brundibar for Houston Grand Opera’s Art of Opera summer youth program.